On this day in 2013, Kumar Sangakkara’s superb century helped Sri Lanka chase down England’s target of 294 with seven wickets and 17 balls to spare in the Champions Trophy.
Sri Lanka 297 for 3 (Sangakkara 134*, Kulasekara 58*) beat England 293 for 7 (Trott 76, Root 68, Cook 59,) by seven wickets.
Apart from Sangakkara’s masterclass the game is remembered for Nuwan Kulasekara’s heroics with the bat to prove the critics wrong and his presence of mind to save Sangakkara when he was in a spot of bother of getting run out.
In silencing the critics, when at the fall of Mahela Jayawardene’s wicket Nuwan Kulasekara was sent in to bat against, the experienced cricket commentator, Sunil Gavaskar joked that Sri Lanka had sent in a “night watchman” as is normally done in Tests late in the evening to save a recognized batsman for the following day. But Kulasekara fired on all cylinders and he silenced his critic in the commentary box who was never to be heard from again.
Kulasekara presence of mind to save Sangakkara from getting out